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What you should know about Chinatown

Chinatown is a historic district that's one of the most colorful and vibrant of Toronto's patchwork quilt of cultures and neighborhoods. It's busy with stores, restaurants, and market stalls catering to the city's large Chinese community, many originally from southern China. Today there are increasing numbers of people from Vietnam, Singapore, and Taiwan, all adding greatly to Chinatown's wonderful diversity. With its nearby streets packed with vintage stores, fusion restaurants, and second-hand shops, this is a district to be explored carefully and savored slowly.

Hotels in Toronto's Chinatown

Those looking for city center accommodation on a budget will find some of the best hotel deals in Toronto's Chinatown. A large number of guest houses can found around the Dundas Street/Spadina Avenue intersection. There are also some quality chain hotels here, like Studio 6 Toronto, a stylish modern hotel praised for its affordable rates. The Alexandra Hotel is another great choice for those looking to keep costs down, with its in-room kitchenettes and self-service laundry. For a Chinatown hotel on Spadina Avenue, the heart of the district, the Super 8 Downtown Toronto is a good option that includes a bar, fitness center, and spa.

Things to see in Toronto's Chinatown

Toronto's Chinatown is defined by the sights and sounds of its many restaurants, cooking up amazing Cantonese, Szechuan, and Mandarin dishes from the freshest of ingredients bought in its markets. A wander around its streets certainly is an eye-opening sight. Kensington Market, an extension to Chinatown's own vibrant markets, is another “must-wander” area. It's packed with affordable restaurants, thrift stores, and alternative fashion boutiques. On market days, its streets close to traffic, filling with purveyors of all kinds of fresh produce, second-hand clothing, and artistic crafts. Arts on a very different scale await you at the Art Gallery of Ontario, a block or so away. This is the largest art gallery in Canada, known for its extensive collection of Henry Moore sculptures and its fantastic range of Canadian art. A fascinating historic attraction here is the Grange, a Georgian manor from 1817 which is one of the oldest buildings in Toronto.

Good for budget travelers

Room rates in Toronto's Chinatown are among the most inexpensive in the city center, making this neighborhood an affordable base for the budget traveler. But the wallet-friendly nature of this neighborhood extends beyond its hotels. First and foremost is the fantastic food available from its many inexpensive restaurants and stalls. Then, there are the budget prices available in the area's small shops. Chinatown's proximity to Downtown Toronto, with its wealth of sights and attractions, is a real trump card too. And the Entertainment District lies less than 15 minutes away from your Chinatown accommodation on the city's excellent-value streetcar service.

How to get to Chinatown

Chinatown sits right next to well-connected Downtown Toronto, and so has several affordable travel options from the main airports. Toronto Pearson Airport is out of town, taking international and long-haul flights. To travel to Chinatown from here you'll need to catch the UP express train service, getting off at the Bloor GO/UP stop and picking the 505 streetcar from Roncesvalles Avenue. This takes you all the way to Spadina Avenue. If you're arriving at Billy Bishop Airport on a short-haul flight, then it’s much simpler. The 510 streetcar service runs from the airport straight up Spadina Avenue, reaching Chinatown in 20 minutes.